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I recently got a Synodontis that was unlabeled at the LFS. I assumed it was an S. decorus but now looking around it seems that you can't be sure with hybrids going around. The fish is around 3-4" TL. This particular specimen is missing its left pectoral fin. Help me out, please!

Looks like
The filament on the dorsal is missing...could be because it is a juvi or most likely has gone along with the pectoral fin

Birger

it's a hybrid or some sort. The dorsal coloration is wrong. Even as juveniles, it is not spotted like that and as adults it is barred.

Hi Suckermouth,
If you're wondering why it's no longer easy to determine an S. decorus, here's the reason:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... hp?t=21410

Have the main barbels got tiny filaments on? This is a key identification feature of decorus & the hybrid look-a-like "valentine" does not have them.

There is a lot of varience in juvenile decorus & valentines & some are very close & therefore hard to identify 100% accurately

as an aside but in relation to the fish in this post, i have seen within the last year a couple of decorus: one with a small & deformed pectoral fin on the left side & the other with 2 pectoral fins on the same side, one above the other - quite peculiar as i have seen little deformity in countless other examples of many different species, with the exception of a tank of hemisynos where they mostly had significantly deformed mouths (subject of a previous post).

he is very cute!!

The LFS told me that the lack of its fin is due to handling damage, not something it was born with. In any case, unfortunately I can't find any of the small filaments on the maxillary barbels, so I guess I have a hybrid.

Hi,
I have a decorus, he too is missing a pectoral fin. I got him as a 1 inch baby and it never grew,the spine is there just no fin tissue. All his other fins are perfect. I always assumed it was some type of "birth defect"

This looks like a syno I bought thinking it was S. Decorus. When it grew up a bit it didn't look like a Decorus any more, and I asked on here. It was a hybrid. Nice, anyway.